Posted Nov. 24, 2008 – The tragic death of MC Breed shows how vulnerable we are to kidney disease, and how important it is not to get it. Best known for the 1993 hit “Gotta Get Mine” that featured Tupac Shakur, the Michigan hip-hop artist died in his sleep of kidney failure over the weekend at age 37. He’d been on a kidney transplant list since collapsing earlier this year.  But it’s a well-known fact that Blacks suffer from higher rates of kidney disease and failure than other ethnic groups.

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Posted Sept. 26, 2008 – We’ve got a situation. On one hand, I applaud Essence’s special “Voluptuous Issue” for celebrating our curvy nature. We’ve got a number of examples of beautifully curvy women who help young girls feel better about themselves because they’re on top of their games. Actress and comedian Mo’Nique, who serves as a Essence guest editor for their “voluptuous” issue, brought her F.A.T. (Fabulous And Thick) philosophy to the issue, which features a plus-size fashion guide with Beverly Johnson’s daughter, Anansa Sims. But as we celebrate our curves, I also wonder if we aren’t sending the wrong message.

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Posted Aug. 19, 2008 – As the untimely death of singing legend Isaac Hayes shows, stokes can strike anyone at any time, even if you are doing the right things to stay healthy. It was incredibly shocking that Hayes would die as he was working out on a treadmill, but without knowing any of the details of his overall health his death becomes a reminder not that death can come no matter what you do to stay healthy, but that life is lived to the fullest if you do all you can to stay healthy.

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and the nay-sayers are getting louder, according to this article on www.nytimes.com (You might have to register to read the story.)

Four panelists The American College of Cardiology conference said Vytorin should the last resort for lowering cholesterol. They advised returning to a previous practice: the prescription of statins. The New England Journal of Medicine, one of the country’s most prestigious medical research publications, made a similar recommendation in an editorial, the New York Times story said.

There’s been lots of back and forth about Vytorin. The manufacturers say the drug is safe and effective, but researchers and physicians are saying its not. If you’re taking Vytorin, you owe it to yourself to investigate the controversy and speak to your doctor.

I wrote about Vytorin earlier. Check out the post from January 15.